Accused told no one of state of mental health, court hears

Sickness beneficiary Grant William Milliken, who has confessed to stabbing a woman to death, kept his mental state to himself, the High Court in Rotorua was told yesterday.

Milliken, 31, is charged with murdering Joanna Mary Elizabeth Monk and attempting to murder her husband, Phillip Monk. He has pleaded not guilty. His counsel, Denise Clark, is seeking a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.

In evidence yesterday Mr Monk said Milliken rented a flat on he and his wife's property. He had been a model tenant for several months before the incident.

Milliken had told them he was a sickness beneficiary because he suffered from a bad back, but did not give any other information about his mental health.

During the time that Milliken lived there, Mr Monk said the couple "had no idea that he had a mental disorder".

Milliken had an altercation with Mrs Monk and their son Andrew three days before the stabbing when Andrew had parked his car on Milliken's part of the driveway.

A letter was given to Milliken asking him to apologise for his behaviour and he had drafted a letter of apology in response. When he went to deliver copies of the letter to the Monks, he stabbed Mr Monk five times in the chest, once in the abdomen, across the head and cut him on the hands, the court was told.

Mrs Monk, running to the commotion, was stabbed once in the arm and once in the heart, killing her almost immediately.

In cross examination Mr Monk said he considered Milliken "a loner" who seemed to live a very quiet life without a lot of friends, he said.

Dr Christopher Morgan, who examined Milliken after the incident said: "At no time during the examination did he display any remorse, self pity or concern about his predicament."

Milliken had not appeared distressed in any way, aside from high blood pressure and a rapid heart beat.

However, he did tell Dr Morgan that he was "the world's greatest schizophrenic" and that "he had orders to kill the man" which God had given him.

Detective Maggie Blackshaw said Milliken had told her in an interview that he was a schizophrenic and that voices in his head had told him to kill Mr Monk.

He did not know that he had stabbed Mrs Monk but said he just "wanted to get rid of her".

Milliken said he had not officially been diagnosed with schizophrenia but that he had seen a "head doctor" in 1993. He said he had "been stuffed around by doctors".

Detective Blackshaw said Milliken had been badly beaten some years before the incident, but did not give further details.

The trial is expected to run until Thursday.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)